Why has Russia been banned?

The Schmid Commission, led by former Swiss president Samuel Schmid, was given the job of looking into alleged Russian doping, particularly at the 2014 Sochi Olympics where the country topped the medal table with 13 gold medals out of 33 overall.

Its conclusion was partly based on the testimony of Grigory Rodchenkov, who was the director of Moscow's Anti-Doping Centre when the Sochi Olympics were held.

Will Russia go along with all this?

The head of the Russian Olympic Committee, Alexander Zhukov, said Russian athletes would appeal against the ban. But he also had positive things to say.

"Speaking about the positive sides, the International Olympic Committee allowed all clean Russian athletes both in individual and team sports to compete in the Olympics. This is first. Secondly, this team will be called a team of Russian athletes," he said.

"If the Olympics go normally and there are no violations, the temporarily suspended Russian Olympic Committee will be reinstated.

"And one of the positive decisions is that all doping-related sanctions and investigations against Russian athletes will be stopped from this moment."

He said a "final decision" about the conditions of Russia's participation in the Olympics will be made at the Olympic Council on December 12.

We also haven't heard yet from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has previously said it would be humiliating for his country to compete without national symbols.